Superbowl Party Menu!

I am not a football fan- at all really.  To be honest, I don't even know who is playing this year:/  I usually watch just for the food.  So, here is a fun Superbowl menu idea with recipes.

Busy Mama Recipes



1. Guacamole.  Duh.  Did you know that more avocados are sold the Saturday before the Superbowl than any other day?  That's pretty weird- but a testament to how good guac is during the game.  There are literally thousands of recipes out there, but this is mine, just in case you need ideas:

4-5 avocados
1 Roma tomato, seeded and diced
1 jalapeno, seeds and membrane removed (or my favorite- pickled jalapenos, chopped)
1 shallot, sliced finely
zest and juice of one lime
1 bunch cilantro (leaves only, chopped)
1 tbs Chile powder
1 tsp cumin
salt and fresh black pepper

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and store covered in the fridge.  

2. Stuffed Jalapeno Peppers.  Yum.  Click here for the recipe and variations.  


3. Jalapeno Popper Dip.  This is a great alternative to the cheese and bean dip.  I have seen several recipes on Pinterest and other sites, so there are a ton of option to choose from.  I have made something similar to this many times, I just didn't call it "jalapeno popper" dip.  Click here for my recipe.


4.  Seven Layer Dip.  Well, sort of.  This particular one happens to be 8 layers:-) With all of the cheese and Mexican flavors in the first two dishes, having yet another Mexican style dip seems a little over the top.  So.... GREEK DIP it is!  I have also seen this on Pinterest   This is my recipe, but again, you can Google this and come up with tons of other ideas.

24 ounces hummus (I like roasted garlic, but you can use any flavor you want)
24 ounces prepared Greek Yogurt Sauce (recipe below)
1 cucumber, sliced
1 large tomato, diced
About 1 cups chopped Kalamata olives
About 1 cups chopped Greek Pepperoncinis
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
Chopped fresh dill (about 1/4 cup)

Layer the ingredient in order in a casserole dish.  Serve with pita bread or crackers.

Greek yogurt sauce:  Mix 24 ounces of Greek yogurt with 3 cloves of minced garlic, 1 tbs lemon juice or red vinegar, salt, pepper, and 2 tsp dried oregano.  Normally I would also add dill and cucumber but it's not necessary since those are already in this dip.  

5. Chicken Salad.  Mmm... This is the one I love.  It's perfect because it is different from all of the other dishes.  Click here for my Tarragon Chicken Salad recipe.  


6. Fruit Salad.  Again, thousands and thousands of variations, but click here for my recipe for fruit salad with a yogurt dressing. 


7.  Are you making buffalo wings?  I don't have a recipe on hand for them (well, I haven't made them in a while so I don't want to post without testing it once).  But, I do have a pretty yummy recipe for Bleu Cheese Dip that would go pretty well with any buffalo wings you make:-)


8. And finally, the main dish.  This is a homemade calzone-type dish that can be made with multiple variations (included in the recipe).  I like this one because you can choose which kind you would like, plus you can serve it hot or cold and you can slice it for easy serving.  People love it! The recipe and variations are here in my blog.

Red Raspberry Vinaigrette

Busy Mama Recipes



Mmm... this is going into my salad dressing folder.  As you all know, I love salad dressing.  There is hardly a kind I don't like- except ranch, how boring.

I love this recipe because it can be made with fresh or frozen berries and you can have it any time of the year.  I have made it with raspberries, but blackberries with blueberries make a yummy dressing too!

I also like this recipe, because unlike some others that just call for raspberry vinegar, this is made with real berries.  So much better!

Photo Credit: Unknown

When I get berries from the garden, my Blackberries are much bigger than the raspberries from my grandpa's garden.  I would also rather use huckleberries than blueberries, but they are extremely seasonal in this area. 

Here it is:

1/8 cup white wine vinegar or rice vinegar
1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup berries*
2-5 tablespoons brown sugar or honey (depending on how sweet the berries are and how sweet you want the dressing)
1 tsp mustard seed OR 2 tsp Dijon
1 tbs orange zest
salt and pepper
1/2 cup oil (I prefer grapeseed for this recipe because it won't add flavor like olive oil will.  Canola or vegetable oil works too, though).

Wash the berries and dry well.  If you are using frozen berries, put them in a mesh colander and run cold water over them for a minute to get the excess juices and seeds off.  Blend all ingredients except the oil in a blender food processor.  Once it's well mixed, turn the blender on high and slowly add in the oil.  Once it's all mixed, store in a covered container in the fridge for up to two weeks. After the dressing has been refrigerated it will probably become thick, so you may have to shake it or stir it before adding it to salads.

This dressing goes great on a spinach salad with nuts or seeds, onion, blue cheese crumbles, apples or pears, and dried crandberries.  But, I like it on green salads of any kind:-)

* Mixing raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries make a great mixed berry dressing.  To make it local (where I live, anyway) adding Oregon huckleberries would be delicious.  Although I have never made it, I can imagine that having Oregon Marionberries would also be amazing.  Buy local at you farmer's markets.  In Portland, use the local blackberries and on the coast, use the Oregon strawberries.  In other parts of the country, add fruit that is local.  Peaches would be pretty yummy too;-)  Especially if you used champagne vinegar instead of white vinegar.

Instead of Mayo...

I hate mayonnaise on sandwiches, usually.  I can handle it is it's just a small amount or if it's used in tuna salad or something like that.  But really, I would rather have something yummier (and healthier if possible).

We have sandwiches all the time at my house (my grandpa grinds his own wheat so sometimes I even make my own bread;-)... not all the time though).  My favorite is avocado or salsa in place of mayo, but we have hummus, pesto, and other spreads that we like too.  Below are some recipes to spruce up mayo or a like spread.  You can keep them in your fridges for about a week, covered, and use them the whole week.  some of them make good spreads for wraps and paninis too.

I like to use homemade mayonnaise in these recipes because I get free eggs from my grandpa's chickens and it's fairly easy to make.  However, store bought is easy for a lot of people because it's what they have on hand in their fridge.  Plus, since the store bought kind uses pasteurized eggs, mayo takes forever to go bad, whereas the homemade kind goes bad quicker, even if you coddle the eggs. 

1. Red Onion Mayo

We used this at Allyson's Kitchen when we made ham sandwiches.  It's so easy- roast half a red onion in the oven, chop it up super fine, mix with 1/4 cup mayo, and add a teaspoon of balsamic vinegar.  mix it up and use it as a spread. 

2. Horseradish Mayo

We also used something similar to this at Allyson's Kitchen.  Obviously, this spread is a fav on roast beef.  It can also be used as a sauce for meat and veggie platter that include roast beef or pastrami.  So easy:  Mix 1/2 cup mayo with 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish.  Add 4 tablespoon fresh, chopped parsley, and the zest and juice of one lemon.  Top it off with paprika, salt, and pepper, and it makes one delicious spread!  

3. Pesto Mayo

Easy.  Mix one part pesto to one part mayo (I also like to use Greek yogurt or sour cream instead because it's healthier).  I like to use basil pesto, parsley pesto, or sundried tomato pesto- which goes great on a sandwich with fresh mozzarella, red onion, and balsamic vinegar.

4. Blue Cheese (one of my favorites).

Use this blue cheese dressing recipe but instead of using 1/4 cup each buttermilk and mayo, use more mayo and less buttermilk so it's thicker.  It's up to you how much you vary the recipe.

5. Honey Mustard

It's a more fun alternative over yellow mustard and mayonnaise.  Plus, this recipe is vegan and FAT FREE!  You can't beat that! Use this Spicy Honey Dijon recipe.  This also makes a great dipping sauce for meat and cheese platters- especially with ham or roast beef.  

6. Caesar (or garlic aioli)

Caeser dressing is basic.  I love homemade, but for an easier version, mix 1/4 cup mayo, 3 anchovies (pureed), lemon juice from half a lemon, 1 tsp Dijon, and 4-5 cloves or minced garlic together.  Add salt and pepper at the end.  Easy! 

Cilantro Vinaigrette- Mexican or Asian- two recipes plus variations!

I'm posting this because it is my step mom's favorite:-)  I made it a couple of years ago and brought it to their house for a BBQ or something, and ever since then she asks for me to bring it with me to dinners.  It's great on salad and pasta salad, which is what we usually serve it with.

It's very easy, light, healthy, and has a delicious flavor.  It could also be used as a marinade for meat and fish.

For the Mexican version:

1 bunch fresh cilantro, leaves only, chopped
3-5 green onions, finely chopped
1 tbs sugar or honey
zest and juice of two limes
1/8- 1/4 cup vinegar (I like to use white vinegar but red wine would also work)
1/2 tsp dried cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup oil (either light olive oil, grapeseed oil, or blend oil work best)

Blend all ingredients except oil in food processor or blender until it makes a thick paste.  With the food processor on high, slowly add in oil.

For the creamy version:

To make the dressing creamy, add in one egg yolk before the oil (but make sure to keep  it cold if you do so).  Use white vinegar.

For an Herb Vinaigrette:

Same recipe as above, except use basil, parsley, and cilantro (1 bunch total).  Sub lemon for lime. Leave out the cumin and chili powder and add in some dried oregano or thyme.  Use apple cider vinegar or a mix of acv and white vinegar.

For the Asian version:


1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, leaves only, chopped
1/2 bunch fresh basil, leaves only, chopped
3 green onions or 1 shallot, finely chopped
1 tbs brown sugar
zest and juice of two limes
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 tbs powdered ginger or (I prefer) 4 tbs grated fresh ginger
salt and white pepper to taste
1/2- 3/4 cup oil total (either peanut oil or blend oil work best).  I also like to use a little sesame oil if I can for flavor.
Optional: Sesame seeds

Blend all ingredients except oil in food processor or blender until it makes a thick paste.  With the food processor on high, slowly add in oil.

This goes great with a Chinese salad or on a Japanese style noodle salad.  I have also used in in stir fry instead of soy sauce.

Homemade (Smokey Bacon) Bleu Cheese Dressing -Shop Local!

Bleu Cheese dressing is, without a doubt, my all time favorite salad dressing.  I love it.  I wish it were lower in calories, but I still get it when we go out to eat.  Because it's so fattening, I hardly ever make it at home unless we are having guests or taking it to a potluck or family dinner.

With that said, I absolutely despise when blue cheese dressing is like runny ranch with chunks of mild bleu cheese- it might as well be feta or something.  It drives me insane.  It also bothers me when people spell it "blue"... even though it's sort of correct- it's only in America:-)  Sometimes I need to be more fancy than that...

The key to good bleu cheese dressing is good cheese- duh.  My favorites have been Oregonzola, which is made by Rogue Valley Creamery in Southern Oregon.

I also love a kind called Smokey Blue, made by the same company (adding bacon to a smokey dressing recipe will be amazing on burgers or fries- it would be the hit of a BBQ potluck in the Summer).  

When I worked at Allyson's Kitchen, most of our cheeses (or bleu cheese, anyway) came from the Rogue Creamery.  Since Allyson's started in Ashland, Oregon, the business was supporting another local business.  Although Allyon's Kitchen is now closed, you can still purchase from Rogue Creamery by visiting their website- or going to a store that sells their product.  I would highly recommend it- the cheese is GREAT quality and world renowned- even winning at the World Cheese Awards in England last year. 

Of course, you can get all kind of cheese at your grocery store and other cheese stores.  I also don't like the kind at the store that comes crumbled.  It's worth it to buy a chunk or wedge and chop it yourself.  

Ingredients:

1/2 lb bleu cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup mayonaisse (I like to make my own, but store bought will last longer and is easier for most people, as they already have it in the fridge)
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 green onions, thinly sliced
zest and juice of one lemon
salt and black pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl and keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 7 days.  For the Smokey Bacon Bleu Cheese dressing, just use Smokey Blue (or a different smoked bleu cheese; or just add smoked paprika to the original recipe) and add some cooked bacon crumbles.

Note:  You can adjust the amounts of mayo and buttermilk to make the dressing as thick as you would like it.  Making the cheese crumbles smaller or bigger will effect the thickness (small crumbles for a thicker, less chunky dressing).

Do not use an electric mixer in this recipe.  It will be fine at first but the dressing will thicken because of the mayo (eggs) and other ingredients.

Greek Style Vinaigrette (Red Wine)

Just like the other dressing recipes I have posted, I love this one.  It's difficult for me to dislike a dressing (as long as it's made correctly).  I'm a junkie.  This one in particular is one of my favorites because we grew up on a similar version.  My favorite way of having it is on a tomato-cucumber-onion salad with feta, Kalamata olives, and hot Greek peppers.  But, it's also great on meat and for dipping bread in - I have a great recipe for Greek Artisan Bread, too!

Ingredients:
1 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup olive oil
2 tbs honey
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp mustard seed (or- don't tell my grandpa- but hot Chinese mustard works well too)
1 tbs dried oregano
1 tbs each salt and pepper

Blend all ingredients except oil in blender or food processor until well mixed. slowly add in oil, blending the entire time on high, to prevent the dressing from separating.

Photo Credit: Unknown

Whenever I make the dressing it always separates a little bit because the garlic floats to the top.  Just swirl it around or shake it (if you have a lid for the bottle) and it mixes easily.

Note: When I use high quality vinegar, I don't add honey to this recipe, mostly because when I grew up on it, honey wasn't used.  However, honey does take the bite out of the dressing, particularly if you are using a cheaper quality vinegar from a grocery store.

Also, growing up, my family always used one part vinegar to two parts oil.  It does calm the bite down, but also doesn't give quite as much flavor, has more calories per serving, and is more expensive to make.

This recipe is very similar to my Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe, and the two can be used in place of each other in most recipes.  This recipe turns out more spicy than the other because of the ratio of garlic and spice to the ration of "liquid" ingredients.  It can be adjusted if you like the flavor but not the heat.

Classic Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

Busy Mama Recipes



I love this dressing. Its one of my favorites because I can use it for so much. Green salad, tomato salad, chicken salad with fruit, and pasta salad. I can soak meat in it before cooking. I can glaze squash or protein with it. Sometimes I serve it with bread and it makes a great dipping "oil". I love having it with cheese and crackers too. I like to use it on this pasta recipe.  Its a very basic, common go to dressing. Its one of the most popular dressings, next to ranch and bleu cheese, here in the US. (My recipe for a spicy honey Dijon dressing is here).

Ingredients:
2 cups balsamic vinegar
3/4 cups olive oil, grapeseed oil, or blend oil (I love evoo in this one)
3 tbs honey or brown sugar
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbs spicy, smooth dijon
1 tbs dried thyme or parsley
1 tbs each salt and pepper

Blend all ingredients except oil in blender or food processor until well mixed. slowly add in oil, blending the entire time on high, to prevent the dressing from separating.

Note: the higher quality the balsamic vinegar, the less honey you use. The honey is there for sweetness and to get rid of the "tangy bite" in what should be a fairly smooth dressing.

Coffee Creamer Without the Crap

Update 11/12/2013:  First, I want to say thank you to all of my readers and followers!  This recipe has had over 1000 views in less than a year and hundreds of repins on Pinterest.  I couldn't be happier!  Thank you:-)  I also wanted to add a few holiday recipes to the blog and decided to update this one with Egg Nog Creamer.  I made it this morning, and it was fabulous.  It tasted so much better than the kind at the store.  The recipe variation is at the very bottom of the list..  

Busy Mama Recipes




I was making coffee at my house this morning, wishing I had an espresso machine. Oh well, Santa is forgiven... this year... ;-)

When I worked at Allyson's Kitchen, I drank a ton of coffee each day. I worked long days cooking, catering, cooking classes, etc and we had an espresso machine. So why not? I had the most amazing drinks there. Part of the reason was our house made coffee creamer.

We made different kinds depending on the season. They all turned out great. They are very easy and don't have all of the chemicals that the store bought creamer does.

I always used equal parts dairy and sweetened condensed milk. Working for a restaurant we had access to different sizes of condensed milk. The only ones in the grocery store are 14 ounces, but it works.  Most of the time the other milk was whole milk. But using half and half, 1%, non fat, soy, whatever will also work. Just depends on your preference. Also, some flavored milks or other milk, like coconut milk, can give a very yummy flavor.

I like my coffee not so sweet. If you like sweeter, you can add a sugar or simple syrup to your creamer (or stevia, whatever your preference). You can also buy the bottle of flavored syrup (like the kind they use at coffee shops) and add a little of that to your creamer.

Basic Sweet Cream:
14oz sweetened condensed milk
14oz milk of your choice

Mix together well and store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a week.

More variations include:

Coconut Creamer: use coconut milk or add 1 teaspoon coconut extract

Vanilla: add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste. You could also use vanilla soy milk.

Mexican Mocha: add cinnamon and a little cocoa powder

Almond Joy: add cocoa powder, almond extract, and use coconut milk (or coconut extract and almond milk)

Cherry Almond: cherry syrup and almond milk

Black Forrest: cocoa powder and cherry syrup

Vanilla Honey: add vanilla bean paste and local honey. Add cinnamon too- this is one of my favorites.

Raspberry White Chocolate: raspberry flavoring and some white chocolate powder or melted white chocolate. I would suggest not adding sugar to this one.

Hazelnut: add hazelnut extract

Snickers: hazelnut extract, caramel or caramel flavor, and cocoa powder

Peppermint mocha: peppermint extract and cocoa powder

Creme de Menthe: add spearmint extract

Salted Caramel: add caramel sauce or flavor and sprinkle sea salt and sugar on top.

French Vanilla: add hazelnut extract and vanilla bean paste

Pumpkin Spice (my favorite): on stove top, heat up 1/8 cup pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling), 14oz sweet condensed milk, 2tbs brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon each cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove. Mix well. It will turn out like a thick sauce. Add that sauce to 14oz of milk and mix well. You may choose to add more milk because this is one of the sweeter recipes.

Italian Sweet Creme: add vanilla and almond extract
EggNog: Use eggnog for the milk and add nutmeg to the top